Sa'di of Shiraz

Sa'di of Shiraz (c. 1184-1292), also Al-Din Mahmud or Shabistari, was a Persian poet. He was descendent of Ali the son-in-law of prophet Muhammad. He is considered greatest didactic poet of Persia. His famous works are Gulistan and Bustan.

Wisdom & Quotes

• He knows not the value of a day of pleasure who has not seen adversity.
• Had but my deeds been like my words, ah, then

I had been numbered too with holy men.
- Gulistan

• The pretender sees no one but himself,

Because he has the veil of conceit in front;
If he were endowed with a God-discerning eye,
He would see that no one is weaker than himself.
- Gulistan

• Take warning in the mischance of others, that others may not take warning of thine.

- Gulistan

• The spider is the chamberlain in the Palace of the Caesars,

The owl is the trumpeter on the battlements of Afrasiyah
From point comes a line, then a circle;
When the circuit of this circle is complete,
Then the last is joined to the first.
- Gulistan

• Whoever has his foe at his mercy, and does not kill him, is his own enemy.

- Gulistan

• There is no occasion for our rejoicing at a foe's death,

because our own life will also not last forever.
- Gulistan

• Fate is not altered by a thousand sighs,

Complain or render thanks -
arrive it will.
- Gulistan

• Dread not events unknown, and be not downhearted, for the fountain of the water of life is involved in obscurity.
• Be thou good thyself, and let people speak evil of thee;

it is better than to be wicked, and that they should consider thee as good.
- Gulistan

• To the eye of enmity, virtue appears the ugliest blemish.

- Gulistan

• There is no real coming and going,

For what is going but coming ?
- Gulistan

• The rose and the thorn, and sorrow and gladness are linked together.
• Who grasps with his first one who has an arm of steel injures only his own powerless wrist. Wait till inconstant fortune ties his hand, then... pick out his brains.

- Gulistan

• Deep in the sea are riches beyond compare,

But if you seek safety, it is on the shore.

• Nothing is so good for an ingnorant man as silence,

and if he knows this, he would no longer be ignorant.
- Gulistan

• When have you seen in the whole world

Who ever once acquired pleasure without pain?
Who, in attaining all his desires,
Has remained at his height of perfection?
- Gulistan

• A tyrant does not remain in the world;

But the curse on him abides forever!
- Gulistan

• Gnats an elephant can quell if they,

unite against their foe, so huge and grim.
And ants collected in one huge array,
though fierce a lion be, will vanquish him.
- Gulistan

• The most malignant of enemies is the lust which abides within.
• Oh friend! Exercise humility to a stern enemy,

For gentleness makes blunt the cutting sword.
- Bustan

• After carrying and collecting like the ant,

Enjoy - before the grave worm devours thee.
- Bustan

• One in whose head is conceit,

Think not that he will ever listen to truth.
- Bustan

• Humility is the embroidery of chiefs.

- Pandnama

Lady Nii